Equi Kids Therapeutic Riding Program
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Equi Kids offers a premier therapeutic riding program specifically designed for children with special needs (emotional and physical, ranging from minor to extreme), Veterans, and First Responders. It boasts a large, clean, and highly functional facility with extensive accessibility features and is primarily run by a dedicated, well-organized volunteer staff. The program focuses on individualized plans, working with therapists and trainers to meet specific goals and abilities through the connection with horses.
Key Highlights
- ✓A premier therapeutic riding facility with a strong focus on special needs children, Veterans, and First Responders.
- ✓The facility is described as beautiful, clean, open, large, and highly functional.
- ✓Staff and volunteers are consistently praised as stellar, amazing, super nice, and having 'amazing hearts and excitement'.
- ✓Offers a highly organized volunteer process that runs 'like a well-oiled machine'.
- ✓Provides specialized equipment to allow individuals who may be unable to walk to safely mount and ride a horse.
- ✓Works closely with therapists and trainers to create individualized plans tailored to specific goals, abilities, and needs.
- ✓Features a unique classroom for instruction that opens directly to the back of a stable, allowing children to observe horse-related activities.
Standout Features
- ⭐A beautiful, clean, large, and highly functional facility with extensive riding areas and stables.
- ⭐Comprehensive handicap accessibility, including accessible hallways, entrances, and specialized mounting equipment.
- ⭐A unique classroom setup that opens directly to the stables for observational learning.
- ⭐Ample and convenient parking.
- ⭐Dedicated and committed volunteers operating with excellence and a strong sense of community gift.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →If you have a child with special needs and are looking for therapeutic riding, this facility comes highly recommended for its tailored programs and specialized equipment.
- →Consider visiting the facility to see it in action and potentially ask questions about specific therapeutic needs.
- →If you are looking for a place to volunteer, particularly if you have a passion for horses or supporting special needs individuals, this organization is well-regarded for its organized process and rewarding service.
- →Parents concerned by the management and animal welfare allegations may wish to inquire directly or seek further information before committing.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Serious allegations of poor management by a specific individual, 'Lisa the barn manager', including claims of rudeness, not appreciating staff, and lacking medical knowledge of horses.
- ⚠One former employee (a licensed and certified Equine Specialist and Veterinarian) expressed strong concerns about horse welfare and accused management of 'taking advantage of them' and providing 'very poor management and care'.
- ⚠Claims of 'very minimum paid' for some staff, which could potentially impact staff morale or retention, although other reviews praise overall staff quality.
Price & Value
No specific pricing for children's programs is mentioned in the reviews. One review notes 'very minimum paid' for some staff, which might imply reliance on volunteer efforts to keep program costs down or highlight potential internal compensation issues. The value proposition appears high for the specialized therapeutic services and comprehensive facilities offered.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Extensive wheelchair accessible hallways and entrances throughout the entire facility.
- •Provides special equipment and gear specifically required to help individuals who are unable to walk to safely mount and ride a horse.
- •Works with therapists and trainers to accommodate individual goals, abilities, and needs for special needs children.
- •Described as a 'premier therapeutic riding facility' for special needs children.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not mentioned in reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •Ample convenient parking is available and easy to locate, even though the facility itself can be driven by without notice.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Not explicitly mentioned, but the facility is described as 'large' and operates with 'many many volunteers', suggesting it is equipped to handle a significant number of participants and visitors without necessarily feeling overcrowded.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Provides specialized equipment and gear to ensure safe mounting and riding, particularly for participants with physical limitations.
- •Works with trained therapists and trainers, implying a structured and safe environment for therapeutic activities.
- •The organization emphasizes that they 'value the horses that they work with', though one review raises concerns about this in relation to management practices.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you have significant concerns about management professionalism, staff treatment, or horse welfare based on detailed allegations from a former equine professional.
- • If you are seeking purely recreational or non-therapeutic riding activities, as the primary focus is on therapeutic programs.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Therapeutic Riding/Horsemanship Lesson
$25 to $65Subsidized at 85% of the actual cost ($120 to $400) per lesson.
EQUI-VETS Military Service Program
No costProgram serving active-duty service members and veterans.
EQUI-HEROES Program
No costProgram serving first responders.
School Partnership Programs
No costPrograms offered in partnership with schools.
Annual Horse Sponsorship
$5,000 (minimum annual contribution)Duration: 1 year
Offsets the cost of feed, hay, supplements, tack, farrier fees, and a veterinarian wellness plan for one horse. The true cost to care for a horse is closer to $7,500 per year.
Includes:
- •Custom halter featuring your name or business
- •Stall door plaque engraved with your name or business
- •Sponsor spotlight on our website with your name and/or logo
- •PR to include photo and media release
- •Sponsorship video that will be featured on our social media platforms
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Stall Ball Auction
Implied annual event (e.g., 2025 Stall Ball mentioned)
Event mentioned in relation to horses creating paintings for auction.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) as a Premier Accredited Center.
- • All services provided by PATH Intl. credentialed providers.
- • PATH Intl. standards are followed for center administration, facility safety, equine welfare, and activities.
- • Accredited centers and PATH Intl. Certified Professionals sign an annual statement of compliance to abide by PATH Intl. standards.
📅Booking Policy
- • Horse sponsorship requests are honored in the order donations are received.
🚗Parking Information
- • Handicapped parking available.
What People Say
What's Great
- Clean and well-maintained facilities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 4 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Renee Oaks
3 months agoAbsolutely heaven on Earth. They do AMAZING things here, and their volunteers are an amazing asset. All their employees are absolutely stellar, and it is a beautiful, clean, and wonderful place!
Cheralyn Whetstone
a year agoPremier therapeutic riding facility for Veterans, First Responders and special needs children. An amazing place that needs your support. If you are looking to volunteer someplace you have come to the right place. The need is great and the reward in doing so will leave you feeling warm and wonderful and doing a great service! Place on the top of your list to stop by and check it out!!
Mraz Mraz
5 months agoI worked there for 2 years mainly for the horses, with very minimum paid, Lisa the barn “manager” claims to know about horses but she doesn’t, she is rude and doesn’t appreciate anyone there, I have a license and certification and I’m also en Equine specialist as well from path international, I’m a Veterinarian who have years of experience working with horses, and I cannot tell you enough about how rude she is, I even had one of the doctors who I used to work with to called her for a reference, and she literally trashed me according to Dr Tommy, he didn’t believe her and he also said she sounded rude, I still have my job at an equine hospital no thanks to Lisa ! But thanks Lisa for trying to get me in trouble! , you don’t even have any medical knowledge of horses let alone the basis to even be a manager, you’re not there for the animals, you are there to take advantage of them , I feel for all of the horses that are at equi kids. Very poor management and care. Don’t go to that place any questions just let me know I’ll be happy to tell everyone what I’ve seen behind doors!
Avagail
a month agoSuper nice people. I love this place.
Lisa Z.
7 years agoI had only aware of this program previously through various writings in local publications and from a friend whose husband was very involved in the Equi Vets program and had greatly benefited from it over the years. I didn't really even know where they were located, and it certainly not seen this amazing facility and operation in action until recently when I had the chance to have a tour of the entire facility and meet people who have amazing hearts and excitement for what they do. This place is a gift to the community. It is so open, clean, large, and functional as a facility. It is easy to locate, it can be driven by hundreds of times without realizing it's even there, and has ample convenient parking. It is made up of primarily volunteers that are committed to the organization and any of the many many ways that they can help. The volunteer process is organized and runs like a well-oiled machine. Every person here is committed to making a difference and operating in excellence. They work with children with special needs, emotionally and physically, that range from minor to extreme on the Equi kids side and they also have an Equi Vet side. They have the equipment needed to allow those to ride that may never have had the opportunity if not for this organization. They work with therapist and trainers and go into every relationship with a plan to meet individual goals, abilities and needs. They value the horses that they work with and understand the valuable experiences that the connection between horse and rider can offer on many levels. I have never seen an organization that offers the services they do with a facility that accommodates the all encompassing vision that they have, from a classroom available for instruction that opens up to the back of a stable so that children can witness multiple situations of people working with horses, to large riding areas and stables, to having handicap accessible hallways and entrances throughout the entire facility and special equipment and gear required to help somebody who is unable to walk to safely mount and ride a horse. Most of all I was impressed with the atmosphere and heart of the place. They are thrilled have anybody involved and open to volunteers that can offer their talents and time in any way possible. Definitely a place looking into if you were looking to volunteer your time and energy or you would benefit from the services that they would offer.